


Love And War

by bluemisfortune



Series: Neon Lights [5]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-22
Updated: 2017-10-22
Packaged: 2019-01-21 11:27:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12456748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluemisfortune/pseuds/bluemisfortune
Summary: After years of silence, Nasch returns to Heartland to find someone new has taken his place.





	Love And War

**Author's Note:**

> Alternate chapter 14 of Smoke And Neon Lights. A genuine alternate plot for it was to have Nasch returning here. ould have been lots of fun but decided against it in the end.

 It’s definitely tonight. It’s been too long and Nasch knows it. The longer he leaves it, the harder it is, but how is he supposed to just walk but into Heartland City after everything that’s happened? Even so, Nasch has waited as patiently as he can. Thomas still lives in their appartment. He still works at Tron.

 It’s not like Nasch exactly planned to check up on Thomas like this, so much as he wanted to talk him. Kept trying to talk to him. He’d gone to Tron, fully expecting to see it shut up or sold onto new management. So to see some boy who looked so much like him behind the bar, smiling and laughing and chatting away to Thomas, who seemed to be in the back room, voice carrying, had been more than he could ask for. But Nasch couldn’t just go and talk to him there, in front of everyone, let alone his uncanny lookalike. He didn’t want to make a scene in public, that would just make Thomas mad. He’d intended to talk to him after work, but Thomas always left with his friend or his brothers. Nasch just can’t seem to get Thomas alone to talk to. The only option seemed to be when he’s at home.

 Nasch has hesitated and waited long enough. He has to do it. It’s amazing enough that Thomas still lives in their apartment a lot of the time. That Nasch’s card still works to let him in the gates. He doesn’t know how Thomas is going to react. He doesn’t know how things will have changed. It’s been years, after all. Years, without contact. Without knowing just what’s been going on in Heartland. What Thomas thought of him. Merag says Thomas took his disappearance badly. He can’t imagine how he’ll take him coming back.

 His hand pauses, hovering above the front door. If he knocks, will Thomas refuse to answer seeing him? Will he slam the door in Nasch’s face? Nasch hesitates again. Maybe this isn’t such a good idea. Maybe he should just stay gone.

 Can he really spend any more years not knowing what could have happened between them?

 Nasch fumbles with the key in his pocket. Maybe he’s changed the locks. Won’t that look bad if he’s trying to just let himself in? But, if he hasn’t, there’s no way Thomas can just reject him without knowing what Nasch has to say. Not that Nasch is really sure what he is going to say. He sighs, gazing down at the key in his hand. Thomas is alive. That’s enough, isn’t it?

 No. Not yet. Even if Thomas shoves him away and demands he leaves and never returns. Even if Thomas slams the door in his face and rejects whole heartedly. He has to take this step. He has to see Thomas one last time.

 

 Nasch unlocks the door as silently as he can. Thomas sleeps near constantly when he’s at home. Nasch doesn’t want to wake him yet. The locks are the same. Nasch frowns for a moment. Had Thomas… left them so he could come home? It’s silly and sentimental. The idiot probably just never thought about it. Never considered where Nasch’s key could have ended up. Or didn’t think it was necessary. He’s sure he’s invincible, after all. Maybe he is. Maybe they both just have the devil’s luck.

 The door shuts silently behind him and Nasch pauses, slipping off his shoes with the others by the door. Thomas’s voice is soft and warm, carrying through the apartment and Nasch goes cold. Thomas has someone here? No one ever came here. This is their home. Their sanctuary from the world. Only their siblings even knew where they lived. They only stopped by when it was important. This was their home. Their safe haven.

 “I’m not the type who thinks about the future, and I can’t wait forever on a maybe. Whatever happens, I’m the kinda guy who lives for now.”

 He never changes, does he? Nasch could almost laugh and the soft declaration. Not the type to think about the future? That sounds just like him. They never thought about the future. They loved each other in the moment. It felt right together. They were young enough they could get away with it.

 “And gives ridiculous speeches, apparently.”

 Nasch doesn’t know the voice. He doesn’t recognise at all. He shouldn’t be surprised. Thomas is Thomas. He’s handsome and charming and soft and adorable. Of course Thomas had found someone else to be with. Nasch glances around the corner. Thomas is sitting there with some blond on the couch. _Kissing._ Clinging to each other like lifelines.

 Like Thomas used to cling to him.

 

 Nasch should go. Or he should make himself known. Standing here watching, it’s not right. Thomas has obviously moved on. Nasch has no right to judge him there. If he likes this guy, Nasch has been gone too long to get jealous. Even if it does hurt. If this guy really does care about Thomas and Thomas is interested in him, then that’s fine. He’ll come back and talk to Thomas another time and get some closer on them later.

 “How experienced are you?”

 Nasch pauses from turning away. He shouldn’t but… The question strikes a cord. Makes him wonder. How much has Thomas done without him?

 “You really like it there, huh?” the stranger whispers.

 “Kaito,” Thomas moans.

 Kaito?

 Nasch turns back to them slowly. That’s his name? Kaito? They’re kissing again, bodies and hands hidden behind the back of the couch. Deep and desperate and needy. Nasch can’t do anything but stare. He’d never got to kiss Thomas like that. Maybe he doesn’t have any right to be jealous, but he does wish he could have had something more with Thomas before they were torn apart. He does regret not acting sooner.

 “You _really_ like it there,” Kaito teases.

 Nasch’s fists clench as Kaito smirks. He has Thomas completely enthralled. It’s just not fair. Why did this Kaito get to be here like this when Nasch had suffered for so long? What the hell has he done to make the universe hate him so much?

 Oh yeah. All that shit he’d done from middle school onwards.

 “Hmm, Thomas. If I keep touching you like this, will you answer my questions?” Touching him like what?! Nasch’s teeth grin as Thomas nods blindly, like Kaito’s got some spell over him. “Tell me. If you’ve never been kissed, why are there pictures of you like that?”

 Pictures?! What the hell pictures of Thomas has this bastard got his hands on?!

 “I.. I, uh…”

 Well of course Thomas can’t talk now. Thomas is always a mess when you touch him. He’s always sensitive. So easy to get him worked up. Red and blushing and stammering. Always so easy to bully in intimate situation.

 “Was that really your first kiss?” Kaito whispers

 Thomas’ whispered response makes Nasch’s blood turn to ice. “Yes.”

 “Are you still a virgin?”

 “Y-yes.”

 

_No._

 

  Nasch’s key tumble from his fingers, hitting the ground with a metallic clatter that echoes through the apartment. Nasch jerks back, his hands trembling as he hides out of sight. Thomas doesn’t remember. He doesn’t remember that night at all. He doesn’t remember their time together. Their first time together. Their first kiss. Thomas doesn’t remember at all!

 “You can shoot with that hand?” Kaito says, surprisingly casually given Nasch knows that means Thomas has a gun out.

 “I can shoot with both hands,” Thomas replies. He’s found someone just as deep in crime as them then, to be as casual about this as they are. “Can’t you?”

 “Not easily,” he replies. “So, are you ambidextrous? Or just shooting?”

 “A few things. It was how Dad was. He’s made us how we are, you know? He made sure I’d survive no matter what?”

 “We’ll have to look into the practical application of that. Oi, are you going to come out? We won’t shoot you if you come out with peacefully.”

 Nasch stares down at his hands. He doesn’t have much choice, does he? He doesn’t know about Kaito, but he does know Thomas will shoot without mercy if he doesn’t come out. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. He doesn’t have a choice. All he can do is hope that Thomas won’t shoot him on sight. He holds a hand out beyond the wall to prove he wasn’t armed and steps out slowly.

 

 There’s utter silence.

 Thomas hasn’t shot him yet. Isn’t that a good sign? Thomas is staring, his hand trembling. Nasch wishes he felt safer but Thomas’ gun is shaking. Kaito is staring too. He must know who he is. Thomas must have shared.

 Nasch sighs and lowers his hands a little. “Thomas-”

 “Shut up!” Thomas yells. His gun shakes still and his eyes narrow. “You- you’re not- you can’t-”

 “I’m sorry,” Nasch says quietly. “I thought you were dead.”

 “ _Shut up!_ ”

 Nasch nods. Kaito is glancing at Thomas warily. Apparently as cautious about this situation as Nasch is. This was a mistake. He shouldn’t have confronted Thomas like this. He shouldn’t have let himself get caught.

 “Thomas,” Kaito says softly and Nasch is slightly relieved when he lowers his pistol. Thomas glances between them and Kaito smiles, reaching over taking his hand gently. “It’s ok. Let me, ok?”

 Thomas frowns but nods and lowers his gun a little as Kaito stands. Nasch wrinkles his nose, watching Kaito warily as he steps around the couch and approaches slowly. And suddenly Thomas has turned away, making Nasch incredibly nervous indeed. Who the hell is this Kaito guy anyway?

 Nasch barely has a moment to gather his thoughts before he’s forces to duck Kaito’s fist. He’s fast. Ridiculously fast. Nasch staggers and ducks only to be hit by Kaito’s knee in gut and an elbow driven between his shoulders. He hits the ground with a dull thud and Kaito sighs.

 “See? You don’t have to be the one who does everything yourself,” Kaito says softly.

 Nasch glares up at him from the floor. Kaito is smiling back at Thomas, who frowns a little “I can do it myself. I don’t need protecting. Especially by a hunter.”

 Hunter? Kaito’s a hunter? Thomas is dating a hunter?!

 Nasch growls and jerks up, driving his elbow into Kaito’s back. He jolts forward and Nasch manages to grab Kaito’s gun from it’s holster and knocks Kaito’s feet from beneath him. Idiot should have been paying more attention rather than fawning over Thomas. Whether Nasch has lost the right to be jealous or not, he’s going to protect Thomas. He won’t let some hunter get his claws into Thomas.

 

 “Don’t,” Thomas says. Nasch’s jaw clenches but he doesn’t move the barrel from Kaito’s head, even as Thomas’ presses to his temple. “Nasch.”

 “Thomas.” He turns slowly and Thomas’ eyes narrow a little. “Thomas, I thought-”

 “I don’t care what you thought,” he snaps. Nasch nods slightly. “Let him go.” Nasch shakes his head. He can’t. Thomas is too volatile right now. He can’t afford to let go of the one thing stopping Thomas shooting. “Nasch-”

 “Shut up and listen to me, idiot!”

 “Thomas, I’d rather not die,” Kaito hisses.

 “He won’t let you,” Nasch says, eyes narrowed down at the blond. “Not if you’re interesting enough. Right, Thomas?” Thomas doesn’t reply and Nasch smiles a little, keeping his gaze on Kaito. Thomas really doesn’t remember? “What are you?”

 “What kind of idiot are you?” Kaito snaps. “You were with him and you still believe this ridiculous supernatural stuff? That they’re monsters or ghosts or demons?! How could you of all people believe that?! Stuff like that doesn’t happen. I’m not going to listen to a moron who believes in the supernatural, conspiracy theories and-”

 “ _Human experiments?_ ” Thomas supplies. Kaito frowns, glancing up at Thomas. “I know all the rumours as much as everyone else. I hear what they all think of us. We’re not human, whatever way you look at it, right? I don’t need shielding from that.”

 “Your father made you incredible, there’s no doubting that,” he hisses. Nasch rolls his eyes. A domestic now? “But you’re an incredible _human_ , nothing more!”

 “Hey, Kaito, wasn’t it?” Nasch says quietly. Kaito turns his glare on him. “Tell me something. If these two guns go off, just as we are right now, point blank like this, what do you think the odds of me and you both surviving is?”

 He can hear Thomas’ fingers creak against the grip of his gun. “Slim to none, I’d imagine.”

 “Then try this,” he continues. “If Thomas and I were both shot, just like this, why are we both here right now?”

 “I’d imagine you can’t be,” Kaito says.

 “I’d imagine so,” Nasch replies. “And yet, that’s what happened and that’s what is happening. So I want to know, Thomas, what are you? What did you do to me?  Why did we survive?” He laughs bitterly. “I know you don’t remember that night, but you must know how you survived. What happened?”

 Thomas sighs and tilts his gun away at last. “It’s not worth getting the blood out of my carpet.”

 “Ours.” Kaito scowls and Nasch realises he doesn’t know that this place doesn’t belong to just Thomas alone. “This is ours, Thomas.”

 “You left!”

 “I thought you were dead! I watched you die! I woke up days later in a hospital the other side of the country!” Nasch growls and stands slowly, letting Kaito up from the floor. “What happened?”

 

 Nasch moves around the couch and Thomas sits back in the cushions watching him warily. Even as Nasch sets the gun on the coffee table. Kaito is watching, glaring furiously. Nasch thinks he might be jealous. He’s glad. That means Kaito thinks Nasch still has some sway over Thomas. Nasch can’t help hope he might be right.

 “What happened to us, Thomas?” Nasch insists quietly. Thomas draws his knees up slightly and Kaito steps forward. He knows. That’s all the sign Nasch needs to know Thomas know exactly why they survived. “Tell me. That’s all I want to know, Thomas.”

 Thomas’ head jerks up and Kaito scowls. “That’s it? That’s all you want from me?”

 “I-” Nasch hesitates, glancing up at Kaito. “You seem to be doing alright.” Thomas frowns a little and tilts his head away. “Thomas, do you still-”

 “If what you say happened is the truth I might have an idea,” Thomas says coldly. Nasch frowns. Too cold. He’s hurt him, he realises. “But I can’t tell you why you survived without my memories of that night. I won’t talk about that unless I’m sure.”

 “Thomas-”

 “That’s enough,” Kaito says. Nasch glances up. He sounds like someone who’s used to being listened to. A hunter of high command. “He’s told you, he’s not going to talk about it, whatever you think happened. Now, kindly leave.”

 “This is my apartment too. You can’t just throw me out. Thomas, just tell me what happened and I’ll go. I need to know what happened to me.”

 

 Thomas shakes his head and Nasch scowls. What does he have to do to get answers? He’d given up hope for a while. Written it off as a miracle. But knowing that Thomas had survived too had resparked the desperate need for answers. Thomas won’t answer though. And Nasch knows well enough that forcing answers out of Thomas isn’t an option.

 He frowns, considering Thomas for a moment. He’d got upset when Nasch said he’d go, right? Maybe Nasch is right. Maybe Thomas does still care about him. Maybe… His frown deepens. He learnt a long time ago that there were boundaries he couldn’t cross with Thomas. No matter how he’d once thought he was in control of his relationship with Thomas, he wasn’t and never was. He never had any more control than Thomas allowed him. He steps forward slowly and Kaito is definitely moving to block him off again. Nasch doesn’t really care right now though.

 “Thomas-”

 “You won’t find your answers here, Nasch.”

 “Then I’m not going anywhere.”

 He reaches out, grasping Thomas’ chin and pulling him up to press their lips together. How much will Thomas let him have? How much will Thomas let him take like this? In front of his new boyfriend, no less. He’s pushing his luck, Nasch knows that, but the twisted, fluttering in his tummy won’t let him back down now.

 “Thomas-”

 Thomas shoves Nasch off at Kaito’s voice, turning away and glaring at nothing. Nasch steps away and Kaito puts himself between them. It’s almost pleasing. From what he’s seen of Kaito so far, even if he is a hunter, he’s standing in front of Thomas constantly, protecting him and looking after him. Corrupt hunters are nothing new, but this one holds himself like he isn’t. Still, Nasch is glad Kaito is the type of person who’ll protect Thomas. He needs it sometimes, no matter how incredible he is. Thomas smiles and takes Kaito’s hand gently.

 “Get out,” Kaito hisses. “We’ve tolerated you for long enough. Now get out.”

 

 Nasch glances over Kaito, considering him for a moment before stepping around him and sitting on the couch next to Thomas. Kaito turns, eyes narrowed furiously as Nasch pushes Thomas hair lazily from his face.

 “What the hell are you-”

 “I never do anything Thomas doesn’t want,” Nasch says. As if he ever could. He’d learn that the hard way too. “You two haven’t been together long, have you?”

 “What?” Kaito snaps.

 He remembers that phase. Those first weeks when Nasch didn’t realise what he was involved with. Before he realised Thomas had the entire city in the palm of his hand and Nasch really didn’t have any power over him. Kaito must still be in that phase. Still not aware just how much power Thomas already wields over him. Nasch glances over Kaito again. He hold himself like he’s a proud, honest hunter. Not corrupt. Just mad about Thomas. How cute. It’s already too late for him then. As if Nasch doesn’t know that already.

 The moment Nasch decided he wanted Thomas and pinned him up against their lockers, he’d signed away all his control and power and become Thomas’ entirely. Nasch almost smiles, gazing into Thomas’ haunting ruby eyes. Thomas had given Nasch everything he thought he wanted and left him emptier than anything ever had. He’s not sure what Thomas is, but Nasch has been sure for a long time now, the moment he decided he wanted Thomas he signed a deal with a devil. It’s the same with Kaito, he’s sure. The idiot just hasn’t realised it yet.

 Nasch leans in, stealing another teasing kiss. He doesn’t regret it for a moment. Whatever Thomas is, whatever happened that night that left them like this, he doesn’t regret a second of it as long as Thomas is here.

 “Thomas-”

 “Loosen up, Kaito,” Nasch laughs.

 “You’re incredibly familiar with people given you’ve been missing for years,” Kaito hisses. “Get your hands off him and leave!”

 Nasch laughs. Thomas has picked a stick in the mud this time, hasn’t he? And, of course, Nasch is no longer labouring under the illusion that he picked Thomas, either. Thomas picked him. Just as he’s sure Thomas picked Kaito.

 “Can’t do that, I’m afraid,” Nasch replies.

 He smirks, wrapping his arms around Thomas and pulling him close, until he’s almost in Nasch’s lap, thighs spread either side of his hips. And Thomas might not actively encourage him, but there’s a familiar haziness in his eyes and an adorable blush across his cheeks. Nasch has learnt how to read his dear Thomas. He leans into Thomas’ neck, watching Kaito constantly as he feels the shiver that bolts through Thomas.

 “Not until I find out what happened. You’re just going to have to get used to me being around, Kaito.” He hums and licks the length on Thomas’ neck, more than satisfied when Thomas’ head falls back with a shuddering gasp. And Kaito’s fists clench furiously. “Hey, here’s an idea, Kaito. Since he obviously sees something in you, why don’t you come over here and join us. I’ll teach you a thing or two.”

 Thomas’ face goes redder and Kaito scowls, glaring back. But his gaze touches Thomas’ face and his eyes soften a little. Nasch knows, his Thomas is incredible. There’s an incredible innocence and naivety about him that was damn near irresistible. That cried out to be corrupted. He’s sure Kaito must have seen it too.

 

 “Sharing, huh?” Kaito murmurs, finally stepping over and sitting behind Thomas.

 About damn time.

 Sharing? Sounds about right to Nasch. Thomas obviously sees something in Kaito if he’s willing to give him what he thinks was his first kiss. And he’s not kicked him out the moment Nasch arrived. That’s alright. Nasch can accommodate Thomas’ new situation. Thomas is an incredible addiction he can’t fight. He’ll adapt for him.


End file.
